1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a group III nitride compound semiconductor device and a method for producing the same.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 11-92948, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
A group III nitride compound semiconductor device is formed from group III nitride compound semiconductors grown on a substrate such as a sapphire substrate by a method such as an MOCVD method. On the other hand, a technique using a silicon or silicon carbide substrate inexpensive and itself electrically conductive for growing group III nitride compound semiconductor layers thereon has been examined.
In the case of a silicon substrate, however, the thermal expansion coefficient of the substrate is largely different from that of a GaN semiconductor layer. As a result, stress due to the difference between the thermal expansion coefficients may be caused in the group III nitride compound semiconductor layers in accordance with the atmospheric temperature (increased to about 1000° C.) for growth of group III nitride compound semiconductors. When things come to the worst, cracking may occur.
The problem that stress due to the difference between the thermal expansion coefficients is caused in the group III nitride compound semiconductors is not limited to the silicon substrate. This problem may be caused as a problem which must be solved when the size of a substrate is large, regardless of the material of the substrate.